Opening: Museum Registrar

Job Title: Museum Registrar - Archaeological Collection #13656
Job ID: 13656
Location: Main Campus-Berkeley
Full/Part Time: Full-Time
Department: PA Hearst Mus of Anthropology
Regular/Temporary: Temporary


Application Review Date
The First Review Date for this job is: March 31, 2012
Departmental Overview
The Museum was founded in 1901 by Phoebe Apperson Hearst, a visionary who saw the Hearst as the cultural cornerstone of one of the world’s leading research institutions.

Today, the Hearst Museum houses the oldest and largest anthropological collection in the Western U.S., preserving and interpreting a global record of material culture as represented by more than 3.8 million cataloged objects. The Museum aims to promote the history and diversity of human cultures through research, education, exhibitions and public programs.

The Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology is preparing to upgrade storage for a substantial portion of its collections (ethnographic, archaeological and osteological) in two locations. The Move Registrar, Archaeological Collections will work primarily with North American Archaeological and Osteological collections. The Move Registrar’s role is critical in identifying and resolving registration and labeling problems, working with the Project Assistant to organize collections in anticipation of the move and updating the Museum’s collection management system with all new information and locations. The Move Registrar must thoroughly understand the Museum’s multi-layered object documentation processes and how to correctly enter and accurately retrieve information in the Museum's collection management system (currently The Museum System, but the Museum will have migrated to CollectionSpace by the time of the move) as well as other information management systems.
Responsibilities
Move Preparation
- Assist in bar code application for storage locations and objects
- Working with the Museum Registrars, create new locations in collections management system, and produce and oversee installation of new labels to storage areas.
- Produce training materials for work-study students and volunteers, and help train work-study students and volunteers.

Collections Data Cleanup and Problem Solving
- Develop procedures to review and verify object numbers, provenience and culture information.
- Research, verify, and correct object number problems that have been identified (improperly assigned suffixes, multiple objects with the same number, etc.).
- Research, verify, and correct object cataloging problems that have been identified (incorrect description, culture, geographic origin, etc.).
- Work with packing staff to identify registration issues

Move Tracking
- Working with the Project Assistant, design and implement object tracking workflows to ensure accuracy throughout the move process
- Monitor and report on problems and progress to the Head of Research and Information Systems
- At new storage location, ensure all location information is accurately entered in the Museum's collection management system in a timely manner.
Required Qualifications
- A minimum of two years experience with contemporary museum registration practices using complex databases and collections management systems.
- Experience organizing large amounts of information from multiple sources in a logical manner.
- Close attention to detail is required.
- Able to communicate complex information effectively.
- Able to train other staff and volunteers on data entry and tracking protocols.
- Ability to quickly recognize problems and propose solutions.
- Efficient typing and data entry.
- Graduation from college with specialization in the discipline involved and one year of experience in curatorial work; or an equivalent combination of education and experience; and knowledge and abilities essential to the successful performance of the duties assigned to the position.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in a major museum collections move.
- Experience with archaeological and osteological collections data.
Salary & Benefits
Monthly: $3353 - $4088
Annual: $40,236 - $49,056